Hey everyone. I haven’t posted on here in years.
I’ve lifted weights on and off throughout my life just for health and to stay in shape. In my early twenties, I got tendonitis in my elbows. I would flare up with almost any pulling exercise. After a while, I was able to train primarily by avoiding any type of pulling/curling with my arms nearly extended. I found a machine where I could do a wide grip pull down with two separate handles. I love the fact that it took the pressure of my elbows allowing me to really focus on my lats with a really long range of motion.
The last time I was serious about training was around 10 years ago. I had a lifting partner that was much younger than me. It was obvious that for the effort I was putting in that my body just didn’t respond the same. I tried very minor doses of DBol and Oral Turanbol. In 2009 I got tendonitis in my shoulders and an impingement. I got disheartened and stopped lifting.
In 2012 I started to try again. I found a new doctor who was willing to check my hormone levels. As expected a had below normal testosterone levels and an underactive thyroid (which I later found runs in my family). I was expecting a new beginning but had a bike accident a couple weeks later and broke my shoulder. I dropped lifting again.
I’ve had minor starts here and there over the years. I should include that I have a very stressful sedentary job. It has been a whole lot worse during the last few years. For the last year and a half, I’ve just had no fight in me at all. I feel like I have just given up on life altogether. I just can’t seem to get motivated enough to do anything. I also have very little energy and often feel like I have brain fog.
Looking at what I’ve written, I really hate it. It just seems pathetic. I know none of this is unique and many people have it much worse.
Anyway, here I am. I just turned 47 yesterday. I’m on vacation this week and trying to turn things around. I have an appointment w/ my HRT doctor on Monday. I guess I am putting this out here to draw a line in the sand and make myself feel accountable.
I’m 5’11. On 9/1 I weighed in at 249 lbs. with 36% body fat and 19 visceral fat (using an Omron scale).
I don’t have a hard plan in place yet. I have to get cardio in as much as I dislike it. I’ve hit my home gym 2x doing push/pull supersets of compound movements. I plan to do bent leg deadlifts tomorrow.
I will be cleaning up my diet as well …after I finish the blueberry pie my Mom made for my birthday. What can I say, she makes fantastic pies and may not be around much longer (stage 4 cancer in her pancreas). There’s no other junk food in the house. In general, I plan on a whole food diet; lots of vegetables plus lean meat.
I’d love to have goals about my lifts and looking good for summer. At this point, I just want to feel healthier and to shed this excess bodyfat… preferably without losing muscle.